Crandall United Methodist Church

Worship Guide

January 5, 2023

Baptism of the Lord Sunday

Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World

ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE

Greetings:

Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!

People: And also with you!

Special Music: “Even If” Charles

Centering Words:

Come to the waters of baptism. Touch the Spirit’s power. Feel the Spirit’s loving embrace. Come and be made new.

*Call to Worship:

Leader:   The voice of God calls over the waters:

People:  “Beloved, receive the Holy Spirit”

Leader:   The Son of God beckons:

People:  “Beloved, be born of water and the Spirit.”

Leader:   The Spirit of God proclaims:

People:  “Beloved, be born anew this day.”

Leader:   The voice of God calls through our baptism. Come! Let us worship as we pray

ALL: Spirit of righteousness, God of power and might, help us be a light to the nations and a reflection of your glorious salvation. Work in our lives and in our ministries, that the world might know the power of your love and grace. As you alighted upon Jesus at his baptism, descend upon us this day, that we may be a people of hope and possibility. Wash us clean and renew our spirits, through Jesus Christ, our lord. Amen.

Hymn: “Spirit Song”

Oh let the Son of God enfold you with his Spirit and his love.

Let him fill your heart and satisfy your soul.

Oh let him have the things that hold you,

and his Spirit like a dove

will descend upon your life and make you whole.

Jesus, oh Jesus come and fill your lambs.

Jesus, oh Jesus come and fill your lambs.

Oh come and sing the song of gladness

as your hearts are filled with joy.

Lift your hands in sweet surrender to his name.

Oh give him all your tears and sadness;

give him all your years of pain,

and you'll enter into life in Jesus' name

Jesus, oh Jesus come and fill your lambs.

Jesus, oh Jesus come and fill your lambs.

PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD

Words of Assurance

Listen to the voice that calls forth creation, claims Jesus at his baptism and speaks to us still:

 “You are my beloved; receive the Holy Spirit.”

Rest in this assurance and live in the Spirit.

Amen

*Old Testament Reading:  Isaiah 42:1-9

              ¹       Here is my servant, whom I uphold,

my chosen, in whom my soul delights;

I have put my spirit upon him;

he will bring forth justice to the nations.

²      He will not cry or lift up his voice,

or make it heard in the street;

³      a bruised reed he will not break,

and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;

he will faithfully bring forth justice.

⁴      He will not grow faint or be crushed

until he has established justice in the earth;

and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

⁵      Thus says God, the Lord,

who created the heavens and stretched them out,

who spread out the earth and what comes from it,

who gives breath to the people upon it

and spirit to those who walk in it:

⁶      I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,

I have taken you by the hand and kept you;

I have given you as a covenant to the people,

a light to the nations,

⁷      to open the eyes that are blind,

to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,

from the prison those who sit in darkness.

⁸      I am the Lord, that is my name;

my glory I give to no other,

nor my praise to idols.

⁹      See, the former things have come to pass,

and new things I now declare;

before they spring forth,

I tell you of them.

Leader:   This is the Word of God, for the People of God

People:  Thanks be to God!

WORD AND RESPONSE

Time with Young Friends:  “Jesus Loves Me”

Children’s Message: “Jesus is Baptized”

Hymn: “Two Fishermen”

Two fishermen, who lived along the Sea of Galilee,

stood by the shore to cast their nets into an ageless sea.

Now Jesus watched them from afar,

then called them each by name.

It changed their lives, these simple men;

they'd never be the same.

"Leave all things you have

and come and follow me."

And as he walked along the shore

'twas James and John he'd find,

and these two sons of Zebedee

would leave their boats behind.

Their work and all they held so dear

they left beside their nets.

Their names they'd heard as Jesus called;

they came without regret.

"Leave all things you have and come and follow me."

O Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John beloved one,

you heard Christ's call to speak good news

revealed to God's own Son.

Susanna, Mary, Magdalene who traveled with your Lord,

you ministered to him with joy for he is God adored.

"Leave all things you have and come and follow me."

And you, good Christians, one and all who'd follow Jesus' way,

come leave behind what keeps you bound

to trappings of our day,

and listen as he calls your name to come and follow near,

for still he speaks in varied ways to those his call will hear.

"Leave all things you have and come and follow me."

Sermon: “The Water’s Fine” Matthew 3:13-17

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. ¹⁴ John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” ¹⁵ But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. ¹⁶ And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. ¹⁷ And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

RESPONSE TO THE WORD

Hymn: “When Jesus Came to Jordan”

When Jesus came to Jordan to be baptized by John,

he did not come for pardon but as the sinless one.

He came to share repentance with all who mourn their sins,

to speak the vital sentence with which good news begins.

He came to share temptation, our utmost woe and loss,

for us and our salvation to die upon the cross.

So when the dove descended on him, the Son of Man,

the hidden years had ended, the age of grace began.

Come, Holy Spirit, aid us to keep the vows we make;

this very day invade us, and every bondage break.

Come, give our lives direction, the gift we covet most:

to share the resurrection that leads to Pentecost.

Psalter: Psalm 29

¹   Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,

       ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

²   Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;

                worship the Lord in holy splendor.

³   The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;

       the God of glory thunders,

       the Lord, upon many waters.

⁴   The voice of the Lord is powerful,

       the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

⁵   The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,

       the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶   the Lord makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,

       and Sirion like a young wild ox.

⁷   The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.

⁸   The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness,

       the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

⁹   The voice of the Lord makes the oaks to whirl, and strips

       the forests bare;

       and in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

¹⁰  The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

       the Lord sits enthroned as Ruler for ever.

¹¹  May the Lord give strength to his people!

       May the Lord bless his people with peace!

Gloria Patri

Glory be to the Father

and to the son

and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen. Amen.

Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns

   Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer   

SENDING FORTH

Hymn: “Here I Am Lord”

I, the Lord of sea and sky

I have heard my people cry

All who dwell in dark and sin

My hand will save

I who made the stars of night

I will make their darkness bright

Who will bear my light to them?

Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord

Is it I, Lord?

I have heard You calling in the night

I will go, Lord

If You lead me

I will hold Your people in my heart

I, the Lord of snow and rain,

I have borne my people's pain.

I have wept for love of them.

They turn away.

I will break their hearts of stone,

give them hearts for love alone.

I will speak my word to them.

Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord

Is it I, Lord?

I have heard You calling in the night

I will go, Lord

If You lead me

I will hold Your people in my heart

I, the Lord of wind and flame

I will tend the poor and lame

I will set a feast for them

My hand will save

Finest bread I will provide

'Til their hearts be satisfied

I will give my life to them

Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord

Is it I, Lord?

I have heard You calling in the night

I will go, Lord

If You lead me

I will hold Your people in my heart

Benediction